The Gauntlet is Thrown
by Allaraina Daekal
Summary: A sworn enemy of Satan's hedgling and all of his atrocities, Caleb Lyreno, the knight, was the strongest of those who opposed Skorne. But, with him out of the way, who now will stand? A Gauntlet Legends fanfic... To her, the Gauntlet is thrown...R
1. Prologue

Hello all, long time no see! Well, this is my Gauntlet Legends fanfic (N64 version- mostly) possibly with some other elements and when I remember what they are, I'll let you know. Well, I think the rest is pretty self-explanatory, so please read on!

Edited! Woo!

Disclaimer: I wish I did but I don't. Sorry...

**Prologue: Torn by the Ice**

Chapter 1

"Caleb!" The woman screamed hysterically, salty tears pouring down her face only to freeze on her wind-bitten cheeks. Her body racked with sobs as she hammered her fists on the sheet of ice under her. She couldn't see him. He was probably already dead, crushed beyond recognition by the sudden appearance of the ice.

"Archer, we have to leave now! We're going to either freeze or get swept off the cliff!" The Valkyrie's call came to her again, but the archer ignored her. Their voices were soon driven away by the wind. Still, she hated it. It clawed at her garments and flung daggers of ice and freezing slush at her body. Its drone would not give her own ears piece or let her lament be heard by the mountains. Snow gathered about her thermal furs, and her cold-pinched face, entangling itself in her long, thick, brown hair. But despite her burning hatred the weather was quickly being forgotten. Her heart was turning to stone where she sat, freezing like everything around it. It wouldn't have mattered if she died right then and there. At least then she could see Caleb. And the way things were going that might have been the case.

A powerful hand grasped her at her elbow and hauled her to her feet.

"No! Caleb-"

"Isn't any better off with you turning into an ice crystal." The gruff voice of Jarred reached her ears, his huge, rough hand gripping her tighter. Half carrying, half dragging, the powerfully built warrior eventually got the fur-covered young woman to the rest of their snow-sick group. Once they were gathered they continued on their way. It was a rough climb, but if the rag-tag team could get to their destination atop the mountain before the legions burying through the rock, they would have a chance to escape this frozen hell- albeit, one short than when they started the expedition.

The wind blew and beat against them mercilessly, tearing at their fingers as they groped for one another and for another ledge to hang on to. Each minute seemed like an eternity, especially for the archer, whose mind still lingered in the frosty prison under the ice sheet that held their comrade. So close yet so far, only feet away, but without the hope of passing through that which stood between them.

Jarred stood behind her, his huge form wrapped in furs. In an attempt to make certain that his smaller friend didn't try anything stupid, he had tied an extra rope to her waist, attaching it to his own. It was a pity, but they would have to figure out the details of the accident later. Right now the only thing that mattered was getting out of the cold. His stomach rumbled and his dry mouth watered. Hot food wouldn't be so bad either, although he wondered if, when the reality of this whole business had set in, he would have the stomach to eat.

Ahead of the elf, a jacka- like character scrambled for a handhold. His name was Ankah Tier Shalem and he wasn't enjoying the cold anymore than the warrior somewhere behind him. He halted for a moment, adjusting his scepter, a golden, rune covered item which hung from a black leather belt. He rubbed his hands for a moment before continuing. Not that it mattered. They froze almost instantly anyway.

Leading the group, Tieralinoraine var Shoal climbed quickly, ignoring the biting and beating and howling of the wind. She had been raised in similar conditions and as such, had learned long ago not to inform the weather of how well it managed to provide you with discomfort. It often only got worse.

Her fiery red-gold curls were being thrown in every which way while shards of ice as sharp as needles struck at the covers over her face. Even with so much protection she felt one particularly hard piece jab at a place directly above her right eye and draw a thin stream of blood that was quickly scattered about in a most unholy fashion by the winds. Tiera- her nickname- scowled and tried to blink the pink blur away. Normally, Luconia would be here in the front, spying out their route and searching for any traps along the road. Not this day. Today they were trying to stop her from running back down the edge of the cliff or perhaps attempting to cast herself off the side. She had been weary before they even ventured here, but the past events seemed to have crushed her spirit. It was best that they just find the exit and then decide on their next course of action.

It happened so suddenly that Tiera, for many disliked using her full name, didn't know what was happening until after it had happened. The edge of the cliff vanished and she fell face first on the ground just around the corner, only to receive a most unwanted mouthful of snow. Ankah panicked for a moment, fearing that their route had in fact led to a needlepoint, but when he didn't feel the resulting drag on her rope, he relaxed a little and rounded the corner. Barely twenty feet away from them was the exit, an ancient hoop of steel lying on the ground, rusted from years of disuse. Tiera struggled to her feet, relief etched on her normally hard features. A moment later she was thrown to the ground again, a low rumble shaking the side of the mountain. The others landed either on top of her or next to her. Jarred, thankfully, was in the later group. The rumbling grew and a loud scratching could be heard nearby. That could only have meant...

"Run!" Springing to her feet, Tiera rushed about dragging her comrades up by their collars and urging them onward. "Move it!" Her voice was commanding, like a horn that summoned soldiers to battle. An obvious gift for disastrous times; a second later the sound of shattering ice was heard on the other side of a granite wall. It was only a matter of time. And time they did not possess. Struggling for all they were worth, the group hurried to the portal. Stepping within the giant hoop of metal they all looked down- all except one.

"Where's Luconia?" Tiera glanced about, panick-stricken. Ankah shook his head bewildered. Turning back, they saw her standing by the edge of the cliff, looking back down the ledge, seemingly deep in thought.

"Luconia!" Jarred bellowed, the sound of his deep voice rumbling over the mountain. She stood for a moment longer than turned back to look at them. They were sheltered from most of the blizzard where they stood in the protection of the hollowed out crevice, but the look on the elf woman's face was hard to tell. The sudden explosion of ice and rock certainly made things no easier. Unearthly screams filled the air, causing it to vibrate.

For a moment there was silence, except for the constant howling of the wind. Then they came. Small pricks of blue light slowly ascended from the pits of the mountain, like frostbitten demons coming up from a frozen hell. The group could only stand and wait for the frosty undead to arrive, unable to leave Luconia behind. Suddenly she burst out of the dust that still floated in the air and sprang onto the portal.

"Sorry it took me so long." She croaked, her throat constricting. Tiera nodded and looked down at the portal. Within the steal hoop was a mirror that seemed to have been made of a very clear gold. In it was the face of a very old man, frowning up at them in question.

"Hurry up you old goat!" The Valkyrie nearly screamed out of irritation. "Unless you want us torn to shreds!" The old man nodded. A moment later the group was gone, just as a clawed hand, the white flesh wearing thin at the bones, reached for Ankah's cloak.

At first there was a feeling of nothingness that enveloped them. Then, a sensation of falling through an endless shadow. For Tieralinoraine, the feeling was welcomed. She got so little rest as it was. The valkyrie wisely took the time to sleep- a rather confusing concept as technically no time passed at all. Ankah often followed suit, letting his mind clear and drift through the darkness. But this time it was different. No one could sleep this time. Jarred, who often spent his time deep in thought over things that few others among his piers ever dreamed about, was preoccupied this 'falling' as well. He often entertained thoughts of building places of learning, for those strong in arm and strong in mind. A beautiful place that represented a fortress where the people of the many lands could come to in times of need. But now, the only room in his mind was taken up by thoughts of Caleb. His thoughts were followed by Tiera's, a mind that marched forward and only forward. The Jackal's prowled on the outskirts of both, sniffing at the memories and unable to turn away from the stench given off by a thing of such great sorrow. Surprisingly, the only person not thinking of him was Luconia Terenthi. She was staring out into the darkness, unable to think at all.


	2. The Looking Glass of the Past: Knight

WOAH! I haven't updated in… a very looooooooooooong time. So sorry! I'm not dead! Honest! Anyway, here is the next chapter and it's extra long just to make up for the fact. I already have thoughts down on chapter 12, which should be added in very soon. Also, if anyone wants to check out my other fanfics, those will also be updated this in the near future, assuming something crazy doesn't happen like the world ends and I fail to notice…

Special thanks to all of my reviewers and especially for those people who have decided to put me on their watch/favorites lists. You know who you are.

And now, on with the show!

Moments ago Quatre, Link and Wufie had been lying on the ground, the last two laughing until their sides hurt. This concept is in itself extremely disturbing as Wufie generally has no business laughing at all, much less with such hysterical fervor. On the other hand, the previous situation had been so funny it was forgivable.

After leaving the temple, the group had run to the palace of the Deku King and demanded that he release the monkey at once. Of course this had only resulted in the guards coming after them and spending a good five or so minutes chasing the trio around the room. It was amazing that it hadn't taken more than thirty seconds as the room was actually very small compared to the humans and the elf. However, all three were remarkably fast and thus were somehow able to avoid the guards' leafy clutches.

After all of this running, it dawned on one of the three boys that they had the deku princess with them and that perhaps she could be considerably helpful in freeing them from their current predicament. Or at least reduce the stress of the situation. Link quickly removed the bottle from his tunic, pulled the cork and dumped it upside-down. Unfortunately he had been dashing across a beam that stretched across the ceiling and, as fate would have it, directly over the fire, a guard hot on his heels. Out came the princess and everyone in the room seemed to freeze and gasp as she slowly feel towards a very uncomfortable death.

Except Quatre would have none of it. Dashing across the room in what looked like slow motion, he leapt into the air and caught her, only to land on his bottom on the other side of the fire, and, once more as fate is evil and conniving like that, on top of the king of the dekus.

"You saved me!" the princess exclaimed.

"Are you okay?" The young pilot asked. She blushed.

"Fine. Are you?"

"Don't worry. I'm fine." Link and Wufie looked at each other, unable to believe their ears.

The king called off his guards- or rather, rabid talking bushes, as Wufie later called them- and congratulated the three on saving his daughter. This only happened after Quatre got off of him and the princess was able to unruffle his feathers... erm, leaves. Then the group was introduced to the mischivious monkey, upon whose soul the weight of the entire incident should be dropped. Mentally, the three agreed that he should have been tied upside-down by a long rope and dipped slowly into a pot of boiling water until well cooked. Actually, the king had been having the same idea, but as said, Fate is evil and conniving and sometimes won't let the special people in the world have a bit of fun.

The monkey himself was an interesting fellow. He clearly had it bad for the princess, but that didn't change the fact that he was… well… a monkey. That gave Link and Wufie yet another thing to laugh about.

"Fighting over a talking tree with a _monkey_!" Wufie gasped for breath, still clutching his sides. "Winner, I never would have thought it possible. You disappoint me." Link had already laughed himself to tears, first over Quatre's rather heroic rescue, next over the monkey's incredible jealousy of Quatre and how he had won the deku princess's heart, and finally over the fact that Quatre had never had a chance to change nor shower before the whole ordeal. He looked like a wreck and upon their arrival the king had mistaken him for some sort of wild creature from deep inside the marsh. Even after they had been made a bit more at home, the king still couldn't be convinced that Quatre wasn't their pet and a distant relation of the monkey.

After some small talk that took all of five minutes, the group was allowed to leave. The Butler had mentioned something, but they were too busy trying to get Quatre out of the room to hear him. Once they had left Link made a profound discovery; there was a path above the marsh that humans could cross. Quatre smacked himself.

"Now you tell me!" Link grinned before leading them back where they had finally collapsed in a heap, eventually laughing too hard to stand up straight. Wufie commented over Quatre's eventual engagement to a bush. Exasperated, the blonde looked up in an effort to roll his eyes; and promptly let out a shout. The moon was all but kissing Clock Town.

"Run!" The two jumped to their feet and moved to go back into the swamp.

"Wrong way!" Link went in the other direction, which immediately led to confusion. It was the martial artist who voiced it.

"What are you talking about? You're headed straight for the town."

"Exactly. We need to start time over again." Link looked at his fellow blonde. "Remember Quatre?"

"Um… no?" Link tripped over himself and landed in a puddle. A deep puddle previously occupied by goldfish, until Link's splash knocked them out of the water.

"Don't you remember when I played that song and we all went swoosh and ended up back at the dawn of the very first day?" Now Wufie looked confused.

"Is he sane?"

"Yes!"

"…Are you sure?"

"…"

"…so what's your point?"

"We need to get back to Clock town now!"

"To start time over?"

"Yes."

"… so in another three days that moon is gonna be smooching the top of that tower again?"

"Well um…"

"And I could be left back in the temple again and Quatre would have to break off his engagement to the talking bush?"

"I am NOT engaged!" The blonde interjected for the first time in the exchange.

"You just keep telling yourself that." Replied the martial artist. "Anyways, in a matter of justice-"

"Don't you dare go on that rant." Now it seemed the conversation had switched over to one between the two pilots, effectively excluding the elf. After another ten minutes of arguing- the entirety of which Link spent watching the moon grow ever closer to giving Clock Town a kiss that Hollywood could only dream of- the elf made an executive decision. Taking out a certain marble-blue instrument that had the power to teleport, wake things up, cause things go to sleep and make green-haired girls really happy, Link started to play.

"Hey, what's that sound?" Wufie never really got an answer. The next thing they knew, there was a really bright light- everywhere.

Quatre sighed. "I wish they'd be a bit more specific as to which direction heaven is… ouch!" He blinked and looked around. "Did we take a wrong turn?" Lo and behold some fat guy was shouting at his apprentice to stop spacing off and the moon had taken a backwards leap for the better.


End file.
